The world saw the rise of one of the deadliest viruses in 2019. SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 was first reported from China’s Wuhan city, and soon it became the worst medical threat in the history of mankind. It took the health authorities years to bring the virus under control and vaccinate people against the severity of the infection. However, the continuous mutation in the spike protein of the virus is not going to change and thus the world will keep fighting the odds of the virus every time there is a new mutation — giving rise to a new variant, which is more lethal and advanced in nature.
COVID Pneumonia: The Worst Symptom of The Virus Infection
By now, you all are very much familiar with the common, and mild symptoms of COVID-19, which include — fever, dry cough, sore throat, muscle cramps and fatigue. But, it is important to note that there is more to just the mild symptoms. In some severe/rare cases, COVID-19 can also cause serious complications, including pneumonia. Yes, you read that right! COVID which is known as the respiratory attacking virus can damage your lungs to the highest level than you could ever think. And, one such attack can cause fluid build-up inside the lungs, leading to pneumonia. This particular type of pneumonia in COVID patients, which is caused by the COVID virus is known as COVID Pneumonia.
What Is COVID Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is a condition that occurs when a bacterial or viral infection attacks the lungs and causes significant damage and inflammation inside the organ. This condition can further result in fluid and debris build-up inside the lungs, making it hard for a person to breathe. The condition can get worse with time and can even make the patient rely on oxygen therapy or ventilator support to survive. Regardless of the bacteria or virus causing it, pneumonia can become very serious, even life-threatening, if not treated on time. And when this condition happens inside the lungs of a COVID-infected patient, it can get even more worse and life-threatening. In the case of COVID pneumonia, the damage to the lungs is caused by the SARS-CoV-2-causing coronavirus.
Symptoms of COVID Pneumonia
The condition brings a set of signs and symptoms that can help the patient detect it in its initial stages. As, when the condition reaches its later or final stages, it can get out of control to save the patient’s life. A little different from usual Pneumonia, when COVID pneumonia develops, it can cause symptoms, such as:
Shortness of breath
Increased heart rate
Low blood pressure
A major difference between a COVID pneumonia, and normal pneumonia is that a COVID patient can develop this severe condition in both of their lungs. And additionally, widespread inflammation in the organ can occur in some rare cases, the patient can also suffer from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) — a severe type of lung failure.
In recent studies, experts have stated that COVID pneumonia patients can take more time to recover completely from the condition than other patients with mild symptoms of the infection.
How Much Time Does It Take To Recover From COVID Pneumonia?
Whether it is caused by COVID or any other bacteria, it takes a long time for the lungs to perform normally after suffering pneumonia. The recovery time can range from several weeks to many months.
The recovery process for the lungs includes — repairing the damage caused to the lungs, followed by clearing the leftover fluid and debris. The final stage of the recovery involves scarring until the tissue is fully healed — all these stages can be hard for the lungs to manage, and thus the patient is required to follow strict guidelines given by the doctor for as long as required.
Usually mild to moderate COVID pneumonia can take between 3-6 weeks to recover. This is followed by weeks of proper lifestyle management. However, the complete recovery depends on the patient’s overall health. preexisting health conditions and the severity of the infection.
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